From Russia, With Love

By Mardee Haidin Regan

Some people do things in a big way: In less than 10 years, Roustam Tariko, billionaire founder and chairman of the Russian Standard Company, has cornered 67% of the Russian vodka market with his Original, Platinum and Imperia vodkas. The super-premium Imperia—the only one currently available in the United States—is an incredibly smooth, silky selection with a clean, bready quality that reflects the winter wheat from which it’s made.

October 1 was officially declared Russian Standard Day in St. Petersburg. The celebration included Tariko’s opening of the new 22,500 bottles-per-hour, $60 million state-of-the-art distillery in St. Petersburg; an announcement that the Russian Standard Original vodka will be launched the U.S. and in other markets worldwide, and a free concert sponsored by Russian Standard Bank in front of the Hermitage in Palace Square. The concert—featuring Andrea Bocelli’s first-ever appearance in Russia—was attended by 100,000 people and broadcast live on television. Appropriately grand fireworks and a gala dinner at Yusupov Palace followed.